§ Mr. AUBREY HERBERTasked the Financial Secretary to the War Office if, in view of the difference of the value of the dollar, which has risen since October, 1911, from 1s. 8d. to 2s., and the commercial value, which is at present still 1s. 8d., and the consequent loss of 4d. on every dollar of pay to the British troops in the North China command, and also in view of the gratuities allowed to troops of other nations under these circumstances, namely, American, 20 per cent, increase of pay, service to count as double for purposes of pension, and French, Russian, German, and Italian, increase of pay, he can see his way to granting British troops serving on that command, where the soldiers have been under semi-service conditions since October, 1911, either an increase of pay or similar gratuities to those allowed by the other nations to their services on that command?
§ Colonel SEELYThe information which I have does not support the view that especial increases have been given to the troops of other nations on account of the rise in the exchange value of the dollar.508W The pay of the British soldier was not reduced when the dollar fell, and there is no sufficient ground for raising it now.